Reynolds American Inc - Susan Ivey, Ms. Everything, to retire..

October 16, 2010 - Susan Ivey announced that she would retire from Reynolds American Inc. after nearly 30 years in the tobacco industry. Ivey, 51, said she would retire as chairwoman on October 31, then as chief executive, president and member of the board of directors on February 28. The Reynolds board named Daniel “Daan” Delen, 44, to succeed her as president, chief executive and board member, effective January 1, 2011. The board elected Thomas Wajnert, 67, as a non-executive chairman, effective November 1, 2010 . He has been the board’s lead director since 2008. The company said that Ivey plans to move to Florida to be near family and to spend more time traveling with her husband, Russell Cameron, who is already retired. From a business perspective, the news was surprising since Ivey appeared to be in the prime of her career.

Ivey, has been chairman, president and CEO of Reynolds American since 2006. She served as RAI’s president and CEO and a member of the board of directors between 2004 and 2006. From 2001 to 2004, Ivey was president and CEO of Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp. Brown & Williamson and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. combined their U.S. businesses
in 2004.

Susan Ivey a short biography..

Ivey will enter retirement as one of the nation’s mostly highly paid female executives. For example, her total compensation for 2009 was $16.2 million. Locally, even though Reynolds had an 18 percent loss of jobs, or about 600, during her years as chief executive, she slowed the pace of cuts, compared with the loss of 12,100 jobs from 1983 to 2004.

Analysts said they were somewhat surprised by Ms. Ivey's decision because she is a young CEO. But they said she was leaving Reynolds—the second-largest U.S. tobacco maker by sales after Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA—in good financial shape in an industry that faces declining cigarette sales and continuing scrutiny from regulators and anti-smoking groups.

Graphic by Nicolas Weir, of
the Winston-Salem Journal..
"Susan has turned Reynolds into a very good No. 2," said UBS analyst Nik Modi. "She's young, but she's had a heck of a career." Ms. Ivey, who was the first woman to run a major tobacco company, has transformed the maker of Camel and Pall Mall cigarettes by slashing its portfolio of cigarette products and reducing production costs. In 2006, she spearheaded the acquisition of Conwood Co., the maker of Grizzly moist snuff, a successful entry in the growing smokeless-tobacco category. (Reynolds American Inc. acquires Conwood..)

(British American Tobacco (BAT) owns about 42 percent of Reynolds American Inc. stock.)

Ms. Ivey has also pushed Reynolds into other product areas, such as snus, a type of spitless tobacco, to help prepare for a future that is likely to include fewer smokers. (How's SNUS doing in the U.S. - will Susan Ivey tell us the truth??) Nearly a year ago, Reynolds became the first major tobacco company to buy a maker of quit-smoking aids when it bought Sweden's Niconovum AB, a nicotine-gum maker. (Reynolds American Inc. completes acquisition of Niconovum AB..) Also, under Ms. Ivey's watch Reynolds entered the dissolvable tobacco products market.

After ongoing evaluation, the board also decided to split the roles of chairman of the board and chief executive officer, in line with best-practice trends in corporate governance. Thomas C. Wajnert was elected non-executive chairman of RAI’s board, effective Nov. 1, 2010. Wajnert has served as the board’s lead director since 2008, serves as the chair of the board’s compensation and leadership development committee, and is a member of the corporate governance and nominating committee. He chaired the board’s audit and finance committee from 2004 to 2009.

Reynolds-American is headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina less than 30 miles away in Greensboro, North Carolina is Lorillard, Inc., the maker of Newport menthol cigarettes with its new CEO Murray Kessler..

References: Reynolds American announces dividend increase, two-for-one stock split and 2011 retirement of CEO Ivey, Reynolds American Inc., 10/15/2010; Ivey to leave Reynolds She plans to retire as chairwoman at end of month by Richard Craver (craver@wsjournal.com), Winston-Salem Journal, 10/16/2010; Reynolds CEO Ivey Plans to Step Down by David Kesmodel, The Wall Street Journal, 10/16/2010.
Read more...

Japan - ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) committee recommends caution in raising the tax on cigarettes again soon..

October 15, 2010 - A ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) committee recommended not raising cigarette taxes next year after this year’s 40 percent increase because the government should examine the impact on tobacco farmers and manufacturers.

Background: “We should aim to boost the tax again next fiscal year,” Yoko Komiyama, a member of Japan’s ruling party and a leader of a group of about 70 lawmakers seeking higher cigarette levies, said in an interview in Tokyo. “The planned increase next month is just the first step and isn’t nearly enough.” (Japanese lawmakers want to triple cigarette prices..)

Komiyama said the aim should be a price of 1,000 yen (11.68 USD) a pack, which would bring Japan in line with some European countries. The government could raise the price by about 100 yen (1.17 USD) every year to allow the nation’s tobacco leaf farmers enough time to switch to other crops, Komiyama said. “A consensus is growing in the government that we have to do more to discourage things like smoking that are harmful to health,” she said in an interview on Sept. 9.

Japan Tobacco, which controls 65 percent of the domestic market, “strongly opposes” a further tax increase until the affect of the October price change is assessed, the company said in a statement on Aug. 31.

Japan - lawmakers want to keep on raisng the price of cigarettes..

The DPJ’s fiscal panel released its tax reform proposal today, October 13th calling for a “cautious” approach in raising tobacco taxes after this month’s record increase lifted the price of a pack of cigarettes by one-third to about 410 yen ($5).

The recommendations may complicate Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s efforts to increase government revenue to pay for social welfare programs. The administration is seeking to ensure economic growth while reining in the world’s largest public debt.

Japan is the fourth-largest market by volume for the world’s tobacco makers, after China, the U.S. and Russia, according to a report from U.K.-based market researcher ERC Group. The DPJ panel said Japan should consider raising cigarette taxes to the levels of Western countries in the future for health reasons.

Reference: Japan Ruling Party Committee Proposes Not Raising Tobacco Taxes Next Year by Takashi Hirokawa thirokawa@bloomberg.net)and Sachiko Sakamaki (Ssakamaki1@bloomberg.net), editor responsible for this story: Bill Austin at billaustin@bloomberg.net, Bloomberg.com, 10/13/2010.

Some directly related news briefs:
Japan - increased demand for anti-smoking aid Chantix (Champix)..;
Japan - cigarette sales increase by 88% prior to tax increase..:
Japan Tobacco to expand Zerostyle Mint distribution..;
Japan Tobacco - to launch Pianissimo Super Slims menthol in November 2010..;
Japan - with tax increase in place, fewer smokers buying cigarettes so far..;
Japan - October 1, 2010 - tobacco tax increase, govt aims to discourage smoking..;
Japan - lawmakers want to keep on raising the price of cigarettes..;
Japan - smokers stocking up on cigarettes before October 1st tax hike..;
Japan Tobacco - annual survey, smoking incidence continues to fall..;
Japan - people more aware of dangers of smoking cigarettes - dangers to smokers and those around them..;
Japan - Health Ministry set to urge all local governments to go smoke-free..;
Japan Tobacco - reacts angrily to governments decision to raise cigarette tax..;
Japan - tax increase, a pack of 20 cigarettes will increase by an average of 33%..;
Japan - cigarette taxes increase may be less than expected..;
Japan - prime minister calls for tobacco tax increase..;
Japan - new government administration considering raising cigarette taxes..;
Japan shelves tobacco tax hike for 2009..;
Japan - Ruling party plans tobacco tax hike in 2009..;
Japan Tobacco Starts Petition To Fight Tax Increase..;
How to get most smokers to quit?? - Keep On Raising The Price..;
Japanese lawmakers want to triple cigarette prices..;

Read more...

Lebanon - smoking chimpanzee needs a permanent home..

October 15, 2010 - Omega the chimpanzee spends his days in a cage, smoking cigarette ends. Originally trained to perform tricks at a restaurant, he soon became too strong – and too unhappy – for his role, and was sent to live in a zoo in southern Lebanon.

Now 12 years old, he has not seen another chimp, or climbed a tree, in 10 years.
Animals Lebanon – a non-governmental organization (NGO) that works to educate for “A better Lebanon, one animal at a time” – has taken up Omega’s cause.

The owner finally agreed to close thesmall zoo – which was damaged by the 2006 summer war with Israel – but the responsibility for re-homing the animals now rests with Animals Lebanon. Jason Mier, the NGO’s executive director hopes to find homes for some of the animals, such as the ducks, geese and rabbits locally.

It is not so easy with an adult chimpanzee, but Animals Lebanon has now found a suitable home for Omega, over 10,000 kilometers (6,213.7 miles) away, in South America. A dedicated chimpanzee reserve, The Vargem Grande Paulista Sanctuary in Sao Paulo, Brazil, has offered Omega a permanent home. The sanctuary will offer Omega a home as close to his natural environment as possible.

Import and export permits have now been issued by the respective governments, and the NGO is in talks with Qatar Airways to organize Omega’s flight to Sao Paulo.
They need to find a plane that can carry live animals, and then pay for the cargo – a heavy load considering Omega has to be transported in a metal cage weighing around 200 kilograms. “At $10 or $12 per kilogram, this is quite an expensive flight,” Mier added.

The NGO is asking for donations via their website animalslebanon.org to help with Omega’s safe and prompt transit to his new South American home, where he will interact with other chimpanzees for the first time in a decade.

Reference: NGO launches appeal to rescue smoking chimpanzee by Olivia Alabaster, Daily Star staff, Lebanon - The Daily Star, 10/15/2010.

Lebanon - some related news briefs:
Lebanon - protect your next generation - your children..;
Arab countries exchange 'lessons learned' from tobacco control..;
Lebanon - some trying to prevent youth from a life of nicotine addiction..;
Lebanon - marketing tobacco products encouraged people to smoke with CNN Video..;
Lebanon - concerned citizens trying to introduce tobacco controls..;
Lebanon - a smokers paradise..;
BAT Middle East - conference on the illicit tobacco trade..;
American University Beirut (AUB) Lebanon and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) awarded $2.8 million from U.S. NCI to study toxin exposure and hea...;

Read more...

New York City - City Council moves one step closer to extending smoking ban to parks and beaches..

October 15, 20010 - Mayor Michael Bloomberg and City Council leaders want to extend the Smoke Free Air Act, a 2002 law that banned smoking from offices, bars, restaurants in an effort to protect people from the harmful effects of secondhand exposure. (New York City officials have announced a plan to ban smoking outdoors. - see background information)

The bill introduced by Councilwoman Gale Brewer, a Manhattan Democrat, with the support of the Bloomberg administration, would ban smoking in the public parks, playgrounds, beaches and pedestrian plazas.

VIDEO - Big Apple Closer To Expanding Public Smoking Ban
Mayor's 'Smoke Free Air Act' Has Some New Yorkers Seeing Red, Marcia Kramer, CBS NewYork.com, 10/14/2010..

A New York City Council public hearing on a proposed smoking ban took place on Thursday, afterrnoon, October 14th touching on issues such as civil liberties, public health, big government and litter.

Testimony ranged from people like David Goerlitz, the former “Winston Man” who, in a press conference before the hearing, said smokers are treated like “lepers and second-class citizens,” to Joe Applebaum, a Brooklynite who equated second-hand smoke with rat poison and said smokers have “no consideration for their fellow man.”

Council member Peter F. Vallone, Jr., a Queens Democrat, who described himself as an “anti-smoking advocate,” has introduced a bill requiring that land under the jurisdiction of the City Department of Parks and Recreation that is larger than two acres must have a designated smoking area equal to at least a fifth the size of the property footprint.

Backers of a ban say that even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can pose health risks. Dr. Farley, New York City Health Commissioner, and other proponents, including the Coalition for a Smoke-Free City, an advocacy group, and organizations like the American Cancer Society of New York and New Jersey, also said smoking in parks sets a poor example for youth. "There is no safe level of second-hand smoke. Not inside, not outside, not anywhere,” said Dr. Maureen Killackey, Chief Medical Officer of the American Cancer Society.

In addition to the health issue, city officials said they are also concerned about litter. They said they’ve found that 75 percent of the debris on beaches, 45 percent on playgrounds and 33 percent in parks were cigarette butts or cigarette packaging.

City Council sources told CBS 2 Marcia Kramer reporter the bill was being fast tracked and a vote is expected within a month.

References Heated Debate at Hearing on Smoking Ban in Parks
by NOAH ROSENBERG, The New York Times, 10/15/2010; Big Apple Closer To Expanding Public Smoking Ban
Mayor's 'Smoke Free Air Act' Has Some New Yorkers Seeing Red, Marcia Kramer, CBS 2 NewYork.com, 10/14/2010.
Read more...

Canada - more and more renters and owners demanding smoke-free housing in multiunit dwellings..

October 15, 2010 - A groundswell of renters and owners are demanding smoke-free housing in multiunit dwellings, the final frontier in a fight that brought bans in workplaces, on airplanes, in restaurants and bars, on patios, near doorways, in prisons, and, just last month, in parks.

But the latest debate literally hits home, and pits tobacco users, who argue they’re consuming a legal product, against people who don’t want harmful smoke drifting into their suites through vents, hallways and windows. “It’s one of the next major health issues – I think in part because of the number of people who are now living in apartments and condos,” said Sharon Hammond, who helped launch smokefreehousingbc.ca, a website that offers advice to landlords, tenants and condominium owners.

She rejects the idea that the push to restrict smoking in private residences is a matter of conflicting rights, saying it is simply an extension of the logic behind ever-tighter government restrictions on tobacco use at work and in public places.

“People are also getting used to not smelling smoke everywhere. Then they get home and think, ‘If I don’t have to smell it when I’m out, why do I have to smell it in my own home?’ ”

For the most part, governments are remaining on the sidelines, but a handful of Canadian municipalities are already curbing smoking in shared dwellings. This year, Waterloo, Ont., banned smoking for all new residents in public housing, and began offering counselling and nicotine replacement for those who want to quit. St. John’s has adopted a similar policy, and several other jurisdictions are looking at following suit.

England - if you want to rent a place to live then it's time to quit smoking..

In the United States, the limits are more widespread. In 2000, just two public housing authorities had smoke-free policies; now that number has risen to more than 200. One municipality in California has put an outright ban on smoking in all multistory, multiunit residences. Some states, including Oregon, require building managers to disclose whether smoking is allowed and where.

Buffalo - landlords must disclose to tenants whether they allow smoking..;
Boston, Massachusettes - next, ban smoking in all public housing..;

In Canada, there are no bans on smoking in market-rate condos and rental apartments, but an increasing number of developers are looking at building smoke-free complexes – especially those seeking the coveted green LEED certification, (LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is a rating system performed by a third party on how green your building is.) which puts strict limits on smoking. Ms. Hammond and other opponents of smoking say such voluntary steps, along with a disclosure law similar to that of Oregon, are their preferred short-term route to smoke-free living. The anti-smoking lobby is also hoping for regulations making new condos smoke-free unless owners vote otherwise.

Although 85 percent of people in British Columbia (B.C.) don’t smoke, and the province has more than 725,000 residential strata lots, fewer than a dozen condo complexes have outlawed smoking. Still, some are concerned about the increasing calls for smoke-free apartments. BC Civil Liberties Association president Robert Holmes says the rights of smokers must be carefully weighed against the rights of non-smokers. Even though secondhand smoke has been deemed harmful, the degree of harm must be considered, since urban life is full of dangers, from car exhaust to cologne.

Tony Gioventu says it’s not that simple. As executive director of the Condominium Home Owners Association of BC, he argues that when people buy into a condo development, they are signing away their right to do whatever they want.

Reference: Shared buildings the latest battleground in the fight against tobacco,
JENNIFER VAN EVRA , The Globe and Mail, 10/13/2010.
Boston, Massachusettes - next, ban smoking in all public housing.. Read more...

New York State - federal judge, worried about the violence that may result extends indefinitely ban on state taxation of cigarette sales by Indians..

U.S. District Court (for the Western District of New York) Judge Richard J. Arcara on Thursday, October 14th extended indefinitely his ban on state taxation of cigarette sales by the Seneca Nation and other Indian tribes.

But it was not a complete victory for the Senecas and their supporters.

In one of two rulings, Arcara extended a temporary restraining order that prevents the state from collecting taxes on cigarette sales by Indian-owned businesses to non-Indians. The temporary order, which the judge initially issued during the summer, had been scheduled to end today. judge initially issued during the summer, had been scheduled to end today.

Arcara said Indian tribes throughout the state would "suffer irreparable injury" if he did not extend the temporary order. He said thousands of smoke shop workers would be likely to lose jobs if the state taxation begins now. The judge also voiced concerns about public safety if he does not extend the order. He said he is concerned about the threat of violence by Indian protesters if the taxation begins.

Arcara also filed a second order in which he turned down some of the arguments that Indian tribes have presented to fight off taxation. He said lawyers for the Seneca Nation and the Cayuga Indians have "failed to demonstrate a likelihood of success" on their claims that the state taxation plan is unconstitutional.

Previous decisions in federal courts "make clear that the [Indian tribes'] right to tribal self-government is not impeded by New York's decision to impose a tax-collection duty on sales by Indian retailers to non-members," Arcara wrote, "even if that decision carries with it the inevitable consequence that the [tribes'] coffers will suffer as a result of lost cigarette sales."

While Seneca Nation leaders and protesters publicly insist that the state's taxation efforts violate Indian treaties, that argument has not been advanced by the tribe's lawyers in the litigation before him, Arcara said.

In its legal arguments, the Seneca Nation "expressly acknowledges that, as a general principle, New York State has the authority to require reservation retailers to collect excise taxes on sales to non-Indians," Arcara wrote.

"This point is significant. New York estimates that of the 10 million cartons [of cigarettes] sold last year by [Seneca] retailers, less than 70,000 were purchased by Seneca Nation members for their own personal consumption. Under [previous federal court rulings], the vast majority of sales made by reservation retailers are taxable," the judge wrote.

Arcara said he has already been informed by Seneca and Cayuga lawyers that they would appeal his ruling.

In his view, he wrote, the best course of action is to extend his temporary restraining order while a higher court hears legal arguments on the controversial case.

The lawsuit filed by the Senecas and Cayugas is not the only case on the issue pending before Arcara; he has similar cases filed by the St. Regis Mohawk tribe and the Unkechauge tribe. Another case filed in Utica by the Oneida Indians is expected to be transferred to him. (New York State - tribal lawsuits may be merged within federal court..)

The bottom line, according to many court observers, is that the state could eventually succeed in its efforts to tax Indian cigarette sales, but the multiple legal challenges could block taxation for months or even years.

Reggie Crouse, a Seneca businessman from Salamanca who closed his small smoke shop in June, after the federal Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act took effect in June. (U.S. Federal District Court Judge refuses to further delay enforcement of Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act took effect (PACT Act)..) The new law bars the U.S. Postal Service from delivering commercially sold cigarettes through the mail. "A lot of us shut down after that, because that's how we sent our product out -- through the mail," Crouse said.

Reference: Tax ban extended on Indian cigarettes Arcara cites likely loss of jobs at smoke shops by Dan Herbeck, News Staff Reporter, BuffaloNews.com, 10/14/2010.

Some related news briefs:
New York State - tribal lawsuits may be merged within federal court..;
U.S. Supreme Court - rejects appeal from Indian merchant who wanted an Idaho Supreme Court ruling overturned..;
New York State - now the Oneida Indian Nation gets restraining order from federal judge.;
New York State - state court clears way for state to collect cigarette tax - on to federal court..;
New York State - U.S. District Judge extends order blocking state from collecting taxes, hearing Sept 14th..;
New York State - cigarette tax collection from Native American sales pushed off until 5-judge panel decides..;
New York State - Seneca Nation and other Indian Tribes get injunction from federal judge delaying tax collection on cigarettes..;
New York State - Governor Patterson will not tax cigarettes sold among Native Americans..;
New York - Senecas asking for Bloomberg to resign over remarks he made..;
New York State - Seneca Indian Nation files sued to block enforcement of a plan to collect cigarette taxes..;
Read more...

Japan - increased demand for anti-smoking aid Chantix (Champix)..

October 15, 2010 - Japan - with cigarette tax increase in place, fewer smokers buying cigarettes so far..

With an increased interest in quitting - Pfizer Japan Inc. can't keep up with soaring demand for its Champix anti-smoking aid as the cigarette price hike from the beginning of this month has caused an influx of patients at smoking cessation clinics.

Pfizer said it supplied the prescription drug for about 70,000 people a month until August, but the number jumped to about 170,000 in September and the company had already supplied about 80,000 people in the first six days of October. The demand has grown far bigger than the drugmaker expected and it has asked medical institutions to postpone prescribing the drug to new patients. The company said that while it is working to increase supply, new patients may not be able to try the drug until around early next year.

The orally administered tablets block the part of the brain that receives nicotine, making it difficult for recipients to crave cigarettes, according to Pfizer. When one begins the treatment, a small dose is taken once a day. The doses are gradually increased and the medication continues for three months.

"While it was beyond my expectation that (demand for the drug) has grown this much with only an increase of about ¥100 in cigarette prices, it is troubling that I can't prescribe it to new patients," said Yoji Hirayama, a doctor at Tokyo Medical University Hospital.

Caution should be exercised when using Chantix this drug has numerous side effects some life-threatening. We wonder if the risk of taking this drug is greater than its benefits..

Reference: Tobacco tax hike stokes antismoking drug demand, Kyodo News, The Japan times, 10/14/2010.

Some Chantix (Champix) related news briefs:
Champix (Chantix) - Health Canada issues stronger warnings..;
Champix (Chantix) - Canada class-action lawsuit started..;
Champix (Chantix) - more serious psychiatric reactions and death..;
Smoking Cessation - Chantix (Champix) vs. Cold Turkey..;
Chantix - Pfizer faces three lawsuits surely many more to come..;
Champix (Chantix) - the risks are greater then the benefits..;
Chantix - another wrongful death lawsuit filed..;
Anti-smoking drugs (non-nicotine) - Chantix and Zyban to carry mental health warnings..;
Another Chantix Warning in Canada..;
Operators of any form of transportation warned on the use of Pfizer's smoking-cessation drug Chantix..;
Pfizer Changes Chantix Label..;
Chantix Reports of Suicidal Thoughts and Aggressive and Erratic Behavior..;

Read more...

PMI - q3 2010 business results - webcast October 21st..

October 15, 2010 - Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) will host a live audio webcast at www.pmi.com on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss 2010 third-quarter results, which will be issued at approximately 7:00 a.m. ET the same day.

During the webcast, Hermann Waldemer, Chief Financial Officer, will discuss the company's 2010 third-quarter results and answer questions from the investment community and news media. The webcast will be in a listen-only mode.

An archived copy of the webcast will be available until 5:00 p.m. ET on Friday, November 19, 2010 at www.pmi.com.

Reference: Philip Morris International Inc. (PMI) to Host Webcast of 2010 Third-Quarter Results, SOURCE: Philip Morris International Inc., 10/14/2010. Read more...

Russia - KT&G Corp. completes construction of plant..

October 14, 2010 - KT&G Corp., Korea’s tobacco monopoly, has recently completed the construction of a plant in Russia to expand its presence in the world’s second-largest tobacco market. The company has invested $100 million in building the plant located on a 103,000 square-meter site near Moscow.

South Korea - a look at KT&G Corporation with 63% of the market..

Focusing on its flagship slim cigarettes, , the plant will produce 4.6 billion cigarettes annually, KT&G said. It began operating Friday, October 8th.

Launched in 2002, Esse is the No.3 best-selling brand in the super-slim category in Russia, making up over 10 percent of the market. Between 2006 and 2009, slim cigarette sales soared 91 percent, accounting for 13 percent of the total cigarettes sold in Russia, according to Euromonitor International, a London-based market research firm. Esse is also making a strong showing in Eastern Europe, ranking third in the super-slim category in Poland and Ukraine.

The construction of the Russian plant is the latest in KT&G’s efforts to expand international business and localize overseas operations. Its growing presence abroad has offset declines in domestic demand resulting from health concerns. The world’s sixth-largest tobacco company currently operates plants in Turkey and Iran.

Russia consumes nearly 400 billion cigarettes a year with about 44 percent of adults known to smoke.

Reference: KT&G completes plant in Russia by Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldm.com), The Korea Herald, 10/10/2010.

Read more...

Australia - world set to follow Australian tobacco policy..

October 14, 2010 - Despite intense opposition from the international tobacco industry, Australia's plan to introduce plain-wrap cigarettes is likely to be followed by other countries, the Health Minister, Nicola Roxon (Nicola.Roxon.MP@aph.gov.au) says.

September 19, 2010 - Australia - plain cigarette packaging will legislation be written to avoid any legal challenge..

The tobacco industry spent a reputed $4 million during the federal election to campaign against plain packaging, criticising the Labor plan as unprecedented.

September 11, 2010 - Australia - documents reveal big tobacco directly involved in stopping move to plain cigarettes in 2012...

But Ms Roxon said the positive reaction of ministers from other Western countries to the policy showed that the tobacco companies' campaign was based on a false premise.

She told the (Sydney Morning) Herald she had encountered "a lot of interest" from health ministers at an Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development conference (OECD) in Paris last week. A key theme of the conference was measures to reduce health costs at a time of tight government budgets. Ms Roxon said that cutting tobacco use was often raised as a solution during discussions at the conference.

Representatives from Ireland, Norway, the European Union and the United States had expressed interest. "From my perspective, the broader the interest there is, the better." The tobacco companies have made clear they will fight this tooth and nail because they think if it gets through here it will be a precedent.

Ms. Roxon: "Interestingly a lot of the other countries were very quick to understand that that fight is actually a bit of a false one because a lot of them are interested anyway. It is sort of an inevitable step along a spectrum of taking action against tobacco. What I was heartened by is the potential that other countries would like to move in this direction irrespective of ours, which makes the tobacco company fight with us a little different. People were pretty gob-smacked about the amount of money the tobacco companies spent during the campaign, especially relative to the amount of money the political parties spent."

Ms Roxon said that among the "very positive" indications she had received was the interest from a senior US health official who had a background in tobacco control. He had told her about legislation giving the US federal government more powers over tobacco content and labelling. (The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act; President Obama signs bill for FDA to regulate tobacco..)

Australia has reduced the proportion of smokers in the population to 15.5 per cent and the death toll from smoking-related diseases has fallen to about 15,000 - down by about 3000 from a decade earlier.

September 23, 2010 - Australia - tobacco tax increase results in more people quitting..

Ms Roxon said she expected drafting of the legislation and the Health Department's assessment of the plain packaging policy to start by the end of the year.

The anti-tobacco campaigner Professor Simon Chapman, of Sydney University, said it appeared the tobacco industry was scaling down its campaign. There had been suggestions that the industry was to continue with a multimillion-dollar campaign during the football final telecasts, but this did not eventuate.

Reference: World set to follow Australian tobacco policy, Mark Metherell HEALTH CORRESPONDENT, Sydney Morning Herald, 10/15/2010.
Read more...

Japan - cigarette sales increase by 88% prior to tax increase..

October 14, 2010 - A last-minute rush ahead of a record tobacco tax hike boosted cigarette sales in Japan by 88 percent from a year earlier to 37.4 billion sticks in September, an industry association said Wednesday October 13th.

"There was a rapid rise in demand in August and September in anticipation of the price increases to stock up on cigarettes," Tobacco Institute of Japan manager Tomohiro Noguchi said. Japan - smokers stocking up on cigarettes before October 1st tax hike..

"The sales are expected to decline in October and gradually recover. But it is difficult to predict how much they will recover because the price increases were of an unprecedented scale," he said. Japan - with tax increase in place, fewer smokers buying cigarettes so far..

Japan Tobacco (JT), which dominates the country's cigarette market and in which the government has a 50 percent stake, raised prices by around 100 yen (1.2 dollars) for a pack of 20 on October 1 making some brands nearly 40 percent more expensive.

Popular brand Mild Seven rose from 300 yen to 410 yen per pack, up 37 percent.

JT's action was aimed at offsetting the impact of an increase in the tobacco tax by a record 3.5 yen per cigarette, or 70 yen per pack, a move proposed by former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama last year to discourage smoking.

The company has predicted that cigarette sales will decrease by around 25 percent in the year from October 1. Japan has been slower than its counterparts overseas to introduce indoor smoking bans. In Tokyo, smoking in bars and restaurants is welcomed but banned on pavements. (Tokyo, Japan - smokers find haven on smoke-free streets..)

Reference: Japan cigarette sales nearly double ahead of price hike, Agence France-Presse (AFP), 10/13/2010.

Some directly related news briefs:
Japan Tobacco to expand Zerostyle Mint distribution..;
Japan Tobacco - to launch Pianissimo Super Slims menthol in November 2010..;
Japan - with tax increase in place, fewer smokers buying cigarettes so far..;
Japan - October 1, 2010 - tobacco tax increase, govt aims to discourage smoking..;
Japan - lawmakers want to keep on raising the price of cigarettes..;
Japan - smokers stocking up on cigarettes before October 1st tax hike..;
Japan Tobacco - annual survey, smoking incidence continues to fall..;
Japan - people more aware of dangers of smoking cigarettes - dangers to smokers and those around them..;
Japan - Health Ministry set to urge all local governments to go smoke-free..;
Japan Tobacco - reacts angrily to governments decision to raise cigarette tax..;
Japan - tax increase, a pack of 20 cigarettes will increase by an average of 33%..;
Japan - cigarette taxes increase may be less than expected..;
Japan - prime minister calls for tobacco tax increase..;
Japan - new government administration considering raising cigarette taxes..;
Japan shelves tobacco tax hike for 2009..;
Japan - Ruling party plans tobacco tax hike in 2009..;
Japan Tobacco Starts Petition To Fight Tax Increase..;
How to get most smokers to quit?? - Keep On Raising The Price..;
Japanese lawmakers want to triple cigarette prices..;

Read more...

Scotland - approximtely one-third have quit smoking when being paid to do so..

October 14, 2010 - A scheme offering hand-outs of £50 (79.97 USD) a month to those trying to quit smoking has seen less than one in three succeed in stubbing out their habit.

NHS Tayside's Quit4U and Give It Up for Baby schemes have cost the health board more than £4.5 million (7.2 million USD) over the last five years. However, despite the huge investment, only 29 percent of those who tried to give up while being given the handouts actually kicked smoking.

Paul Ballard, deputy director of public health at NHS Tayside, defended the outlay - saying the cost to the health authority of smoking-related illnesses far outweighed the cash spent on trying to curb the habit. (Scotland - bribing people to live a healthy lifestyle..)

New figures released in a Scottish Parliament answer show £949,000 was spent on smoking cessation in Tayside over the past four years, while a further £790,000 was spent in the region in 2006-7.

When it was launched, the TaxPayers' Alliance pressure group described it as an "extremely dubious use of taxpayers' money".

Mr Ballard said said: "The cost of treating people for smoking related diseases far outweighs the figures you have for quitting in terms of investment.

"NHS Tayside has focused its investment on the areas of Tayside which have the highest populations of smokers and these areas, without exception, are areas of high deprivation. "We are trying to help those in greatest need, so we focus our energies and investment on the most deprived."

Directly related: England - program to pay pregnant women not to smoke seems hopeful..

Reference: £4.5m quit smoking drive runs out of puff, The Scotsman, 10/9/2010.

Scotland - related news briefs:
Scotland - Imperial Tobacco loses attempt to overturn ban on cigarette displays and removal of vending machines..;
Scotland - mainly shopkeepers oppose tobacco display ban..;
Scotland - smoking ban produced benefits for people (i.e., children) who are not exposed to occupational tobacco smoke..;
Scotland - 90% of Scots back law that prosecutes adults for buying cigarettes for children..;
Scotland, Grampian Region - latest word, NHS Grampian hospital smoking clampdown delayed..;
Scotland - bribing people to live a healthy lifestyle..;
Scotland - Imperial Tobacco in legal action to stop ban on cigarette displays and vending machine removal..;
Scotland - tobacco industry says massive increase in illegal cigarettes..;
PAPER: Scotland Unhealthy risk factors those with lack of education/ low income..;
Scotland - renewing efforts to stop pregnant women from smoking..;
Scotland - cigarette smoking quit attempts increase by 35%..;
Scotland - retailers can provide input on future to ban the display of tobacco..;
Scotland - campaigners want more to be done to protect young people from passive smoking..;
Scotland - government no plans to ban smoking in cars and public places used by children..;
Scotland - smokers will be banned from fostering or adopting children, comments from Professor Banzhaf..;
Scotland - parliament votes to ban retail cigarette displays and vending machines..;
Scotland - health minister urges smokers to quit..;
Scotland - some men beginning to lead a healthier lifestyle and therefore living longer..;
Scotland - self-reporting of smoking by pregnant women underestimates true number of pregnant smokers..;
Scotland - tobacco firms claim proposed display ban is unnecessary..;
"Glasgow effect" - prevalence of cigarette smoking impact on poor health..;
Scotland - tobacco industry will try to stop attempts to curb sales to young people..;
Scotland - cigarette vending machines removal..;
Scottish politicans most have the courage to protect the health of their constituents..;
Scotland - small businesses given extra 2-years to remove tobacco displays..;
Northern Ireland - assembly approves ban on display of tobacco items..;
Scotland to ban cigarette displays and outlaw cigarette vending machines..;
Bar workers who smoke also benefit from smoking ban..;
17 countries in the world ban indoor smoking - ENFORCEMENT..;
England, Wales to ban tobacco displays in shops..;
Definite Health Benefits of Smoking Bans..;
Northern Ireland raising age for sale of tobacco from 16 to 18 joining the other three United Kingdom (UK) countries..;
Scotland proposes to implement more measures to discourage tobacco use including the banning of tobacco displays..;
Raise Age to 21 to Purchase Tobacco Products...

Read more...

Wales - protecting children from tobacco products undermined by smuggling..

October 14, 2010 - You can't have an effective tobacco control program if you can not control the flow tobacco contraband (smuggling) into your country.

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) Wales has just hosted the "Smoke Free Futures: Tobacco Control Conference 2010" 11 - 12 Oct 2010 in Cardiff.

A report found tobacco smuggling in Wales is a threat to public health as well as a loss in tax revenue to the Government. Smokers questioned over their attitudes to buying illegal and counterfeit tobacco found younger smokers more likely to buy from the illicit market in cigarettes – fuelling addiction in youngsters.

More than half (52%) of 16 to 34-year olds admitted buying cheap tobacco compared to 41% of 35 to 54-year-olds, and 36% of the over 55’s.

Back on August 18, 2008 ASH Wales survey found similar results from a survey of 100 underage smokers (average age is just 14). (Wales - still easy for youngsters to buy cigarettes..

Some 68% of smokers quizzed were more interested in cost than where their cigarettes come from.

Tanya Buchanan, chief executive of ASH Wales, said: “Smuggled tobacco is a bigger issue in more socially disadvantaged areas and this evidence further supports that. Smoking prevalence rates are already much higher in these areas and are already creating significant ill health for residents.

Unfortunately, this evidence also means that measures to protect children from accessing age restricted tobacco products are being undermined by tobacco smuggling.

“It is vital that the Welsh Assembly Government’s tobacco control action plan being drafted addresses tobacco smuggling and that they work closely with the UK government on this issue. “We need a coordinated multi-agency approach to tackle large scale organised smuggling.

Reference: Illegal fags getting Welsh kids hooked by Tom Bodden, DailyPost.co.uk, 10/12/2010.

Some Wales related new briefs:
Wales set to ban the display of tobacco products..;
Wales - One in five women in Wales smoke while pregnant..;
;
Wales council imposes blanket ban on smokers adopting or fostering children..;
England, Wales to ban tobacco displays in shops..;
Wales - still easy for youngsters to buy cigarettes..;
Read more...

England - MP's bill to overturn smoking ban fails..

Enacted July 1, 2007..
October 14, 2010 - MP (member of parliament) David Nuttall (NuttallBuryNorth@aol.com) failed in his attempt to permit landlords to decide for themselves whether to allow smoking in their pubs. Mr. Nuttall's bill was defeated by 141 votes to 86.

David Nuttall, the new Conservative MP for Bury North, wants to overturn the smoking ban by introducing a Commons Early Day Motion. Nuttall: landlords should be allowed to decide for themselves whether to allow smoking in their pubs. Mr Nuttall said the legislation was partly responsible for the closure of dozens of pubs in his constituency.

Mr Nuttall's bill would exempt pubs and social clubs from the ban, allowing landlords and licensees to have dedicated smoking lounges for drinkers complete with smoke filters. "I'm a devout non-smoker and wouldn't want to go back to the days when people were eating a meal and had smoke blown into their faces," said Mr Nuttall. He added: "We do want to add an element of freedom of choice."

David Nuttall MP calls for end to pub smoking ban, BBC.co.uk, 10/10/2010.

His bill would have exempted pubs and social clubs from the ban, allowing landlords to have dedicated smoking lounges for drinkers, complete with smoke filters.

Reference: MP David Nuttall's bid to end smoking ban in pubs fails, BBC.co.uk, 10/13/2010.
Read more...

Delegates to APACT2010 conference urge Indonesia to sign WHO FCTC..

October 14, 2010 - Delegates at the Asia Pacific Conference on Tobacco or Health (APACT) in Sydney denounced Indonesia for being the only Asian country not to have signed the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Hakim Sorimuda Pohan, from the Coalition Against Corruption of the Anti-Tobacco Clause (Kakar) and a delegate to the APACT, said the government should urgently address this matter. He added that it was the first time in the history of the APACT that the conference’s final declaration included a call for a nation to sign the FCTC.

Indonesia - agrees to ratify the WHO FCTC public health treaty...

The APACT Declaration on Indonesia called on Jakarta to ban tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship including for music and sports events. The Declaration on Indonesia also urged foreign musicians and athletes performing in the country to boycott tobacco-sponsored events. (Most Indonesians support moves to ban tobacco advertisements..; Jakarta, Indonesia - more on the Kelly Clarkson tobacco sponsored concert April 29th..; Alicia Keys - Jakarta Concert (July 31st) tobacco companies forced to withdraw sponsorship...)

The declaration was backed by 700 delegates from 41 countries who attended the conference from October 6-9, 2010.

“This is very embarrassing for Indonesia not to have signed the convention, while other Asian countries have already ratified it,” Hakim said. “By failing to sign it, we’re protecting the tobacco industry rather than the health of our own people.”
He warned that if Indonesia did not sign the FCTC soon, it would be “excluded from international society, and we don’t want to be an isolated country.”

Harley Stanton, the APACT president, said, “We are deeply concerned that in failing to accede to the FCTC, Indonesia is creating a public health disaster.

“Indonesia’s tobacco-related death toll is more than 200,000 a year. More than 60 percent of Indonesian men smoke.” He said more and more Indonesian children were also smoking, with a 400 percent increase in smoking among 5 to 9 year olds.

Reference: New Declaration Urges Indonesia to Sign Anti-Tobacco Convention, Anita Rachman, Dessy Sagita & Armando Siahaan, Jakarta Glove. 10/12/2010.

Indonesia some related news briefs:
Indonesia - may increase tobacco excise tax by 5% if the tobacco industry approves..;
Indonesia - Australian bands (2) will they perform at tobacco sponsored musical festival??;
Indonesia - confusion regarding possible suspects regarding the missing clause from the health bill passed in September 2009..;
Indonesia - 2-year old kicks the habit - COLD Turkey..;
Indonesia - agrees to ratify the WHO FCTC public health treaty..;
WTO - US rejected call by Indonesia to rule on dispute on ban of clove cigarettes in the US..;
Indonesia - on June 22nd will ask WTO to rule on US ban on clove cigarettes..;
Indonesia - PT Djarum Tobacco to sponsor badminton events..;
Indonesia - CNN Video on 2-year old nicotine addict..;
Indonesia - more on the 2-year old addicted to nicotine..;
Indonesia - paradise for smokers and paradise for tobacco companies..;
Indonesia - House Finance and Banking Commission opposes govt plan to lower cigarette production..;
Jakarta, Indonesia - more on the Kelly Clarkson tobacco sponsored concert April 29th..;
Jakarta, Indonesia - Singer Kelly Clarkson will she perfom concert sponsored by major tobacco company..;
Indonesia - launches formal dispute with WTO over U.S, ban on clove cigarettes..;
Indonesia - parents encourage 4-year old boy to continue smoking habit..;
Hemoglobin obtained from pigs may be used in cigarette filters..;
Indonesia - government may raise cigarette tax and cut cigarette output..;
Indonesia - Muhammadiyah-owned university students demonstrate against edict against smoking..;
Indonesia - kretek cigarette maker Gudang Garam's 2009 net profit jumps 84 percent..;
Indonesia - persons accused of eliminating clause designating tobacco as addictive..;
Indonesia - second largest Muslim organization launched a fatwa against smoking..;
Indonesia - RATIFICATION OF FCTC MAY RAISE INDONESIA'S BARGAINING POWER.. ;
Indonesia - 18 tons of illegal cigarettes destroyed..;
Indonesia - Government to limit cigarette production..;
Indonesia - BAT, Bentoel shareholders approve planned merger..;
Indonesia - another protest rejecting the new cigarette excise tax..;
Indonesia - workers from small cigarette producers protest excise tax increase..;
Indonesia - cigarette industry has pledged to stage a demonstration to protest a government plan to increase excise tax.;
Indonesia - the last paradise for a puff in Southeast Asia..;
Indonesia - trade minister officials want to meet with US counterparts to discuss ban on clove cigarettes..;
Indonesia - PT BAT Indonesia to merge with PT Bentoel International Investama Terbuka..;
Indonesia - missing tobacco regulation in approved Health Law..;
Indonesia - section on tobacco in health bill disappears..;
Indonesia - Constitutional Court by close vote rules that tobacco ads can continue..;
Indonesia - parent smoking can negatively affect the nutrition of children..;
Indonesia - new council member suspect in cigarette fraud case..;
Indonesia - an NGO commission assists cigarettes must be banned in films..
Indonesia - a paradise for tobacco companies..
Indonesia - after buying cigarettes very little left for food..;
Indonesia - will they ratify the first world public health treaty..;
Indonesia - last paradise to smoke in public places in Southeast Asia..;
Indonesia - Industry minister to close tobacco to new foreign investment..;
Indonesia Finance Ministry to cap tax deductions for tobacco companies..;
Indonesia - Smoking hits poor families the hardest, making the poor even poorer..;
Indonesia - Cigarette makers defy crisis, grows stronger..;
Indonesia - government may raise cigarette excise tax next year..;
WHO - Indonesia is crying out for your help..;
Indonesia - dispute with U.S. over banning the use of clove in cigarettes..;
Indonesia 'cash cow' for Philip Morris International..;
Tobacco industry has long targeted young people as "replacement smokers";
Indonesia - district court dismisses request to ratify FCTC..;
Asean Countries - Tobacco Industry Blocking Global Treaty On Tobacco..; Indonesia - farmers hold rally protest tobacco controls..;
Indonesia - tobacco farmers reject Islamic council's edict..;
Indonesia - Ulema Council - debate results is split on smoking..;
Indonesia - Withdraw Sponsorhip of Another Rock Concert..;
Indonesia to increase tax on tobacco products..;
Semarang, Indonesia - Cigarette Smoking Areas to be Prepared..;
Jakarta, Indonesia - Malls help enforce non-smoking ban..;
Indonesia - federal anti-smoking laws in one year - MAYBE..;
Indonesia - NGO's (non-government organizations) Demand the Government Ratify WHO's FCTC.;
Indonesia to raise cigarette tax by 6 to 7% in 2009..;
Surabaya, Indonesia - anti-smoking bylaw 10/2009 - FOR REAL??
Indonesians smoking more than ever before..;
Indonesia further rise in the excise tax would hurt the cigarette industry..;
Alicia Keys - Jakarta Concert (July 31st) tobacco companies forced to withdraw sponsorship.. and
Most Indonesians support moves to ban tobacco advertisements..
Read more...

Indonesia - may increase tobacco excise tax by 5% if the tobacco industry approves..

October 14, 2010 - With one of the highest smoking rates in the world, Indonesia plans to raise its tobacco excise tax by five percent next year to help meet state revenue targets, a senior official said on Wednesday, October 13th. (April 6, 2010 - Indonesia - government may raise cigarette tax and cut cigarette output..)

Cigarettes sell for about a dollar a packet in Indonesia, where 60 percent of men are estimated to smoke along with a "disturbing" number of children, according to the Asia Pacific Association for the Control of Tobacco (APACT).

Finance ministry official Agus Supriyanto told Dow Jones Newswires the excise level was likely to rise five percent on average next year in what is the world's fifth-largest tobacco market. Customs chief Thomas Sugijata said the increase would help meet the country's excise revenue target of 60.7 trillion rupiah (6.8 billion dollars) -- up four trillion rupiah (448 trillion dollars).

But he said the final excise rate had still to be decided and was subject to discussion with the industry, which employs millions of people in the archipelago. "We're still discussing the rate increase and will ask for input from industry, but we can promise that the increase will be moderate," Sugijata said.

For 2010 the government aimed to reduce cigarette production to 240 billion sticks from 245 billion last year.

The current excise level per cigarette ranges from 65 to 320 rupiah (0.007 to 0.035 dollars).

Analysts said the rise was unlikely to have much impact on major producers such as Gudang Garam, Sampoerna and Djarum, which benefit from customer loyalty and efficient distribution networks.

Reference: Heavy-Smoking Indonesia to Raise Tobacco Tax, Agence France-Presse (AFP), Jakarta Globe, 10/13/1020.

Indonesia some related news briefs:
Indonesia - Australian bands (2) will they perform at tobacco sponsored musical festival??;
Indonesia - confusion regarding possible suspects regarding the missing clause from the health bill passed in September 2009..;
Indonesia - 2-year old kicks the habit - COLD Turkey..;
Indonesia - agrees to ratify the WHO FCTC public health treaty..;
WTO - US rejected call by Indonesia to rule on dispute on ban of clove cigarettes in the US..;
Indonesia - on June 22nd will ask WTO to rule on US ban on clove cigarettes..;
Indonesia - PT Djarum Tobacco to sponsor badminton events..;
Indonesia - CNN Video on 2-year old nicotine addict..;
Indonesia - more on the 2-year old addicted to nicotine..;
Indonesia - paradise for smokers and paradise for tobacco companies..;
Indonesia - House Finance and Banking Commission opposes govt plan to lower cigarette production..;
Jakarta, Indonesia - more on the Kelly Clarkson tobacco sponsored concert April 29th..;
Jakarta, Indonesia - Singer Kelly Clarkson will she perfom concert sponsored by major tobacco company..;
Indonesia - launches formal dispute with WTO over U.S, ban on clove cigarettes..;
Indonesia - parents encourage 4-year old boy to continue smoking habit..;
Hemoglobin obtained from pigs may be used in cigarette filters..;
Indonesia - government may raise cigarette tax and cut cigarette output..;
Indonesia - Muhammadiyah-owned university students demonstrate against edict against smoking..;
Indonesia - kretek cigarette maker Gudang Garam's 2009 net profit jumps 84 percent..;
Indonesia - persons accused of eliminating clause designating tobacco as addictive..;
Indonesia - second largest Muslim organization launched a fatwa against smoking..;
Indonesia - RATIFICATION OF FCTC MAY RAISE INDONESIA'S BARGAINING POWER.. ;
Indonesia - 18 tons of illegal cigarettes destroyed..;
Indonesia - Government to limit cigarette production..;
Indonesia - BAT, Bentoel shareholders approve planned merger..;
Indonesia - another protest rejecting the new cigarette excise tax..;
Indonesia - workers from small cigarette producers protest excise tax increase..;
Indonesia - cigarette industry has pledged to stage a demonstration to protest a government plan to increase excise tax.;
Indonesia - the last paradise for a puff in Southeast Asia..;
Indonesia - trade minister officials want to meet with US counterparts to discuss ban on clove cigarettes..;
Indonesia - PT BAT Indonesia to merge with PT Bentoel International Investama Terbuka..;
Indonesia - missing tobacco regulation in approved Health Law..;
Indonesia - section on tobacco in health bill disappears..;
Indonesia - Constitutional Court by close vote rules that tobacco ads can continue..;
Indonesia - parent smoking can negatively affect the nutrition of children..;
Indonesia - new council member suspect in cigarette fraud case..;
Indonesia - an NGO commission assists cigarettes must be banned in films..
Indonesia - a paradise for tobacco companies..
Indonesia - after buying cigarettes very little left for food..;
Indonesia - will they ratify the first world public health treaty..;
Indonesia - last paradise to smoke in public places in Southeast Asia..;
Indonesia - Industry minister to close tobacco to new foreign investment..;
Indonesia Finance Ministry to cap tax deductions for tobacco companies..;
Indonesia - Smoking hits poor families the hardest, making the poor even poorer..;
Indonesia - Cigarette makers defy crisis, grows stronger..;
Indonesia - government may raise cigarette excise tax next year..;
WHO - Indonesia is crying out for your help..;
Indonesia - dispute with U.S. over banning the use of clove in cigarettes..;
Indonesia 'cash cow' for Philip Morris International..;
Tobacco industry has long targeted young people as "replacement smokers";
Indonesia - district court dismisses request to ratify FCTC..;
Asean Countries - Tobacco Industry Blocking Global Treaty On Tobacco..; Indonesia - farmers hold rally protest tobacco controls..;
Indonesia - tobacco farmers reject Islamic council's edict..;
Indonesia - Ulema Council - debate results is split on smoking..;
Indonesia - Withdraw Sponsorhip of Another Rock Concert..;
Indonesia to increase tax on tobacco products..;
Semarang, Indonesia - Cigarette Smoking Areas to be Prepared..;
Jakarta, Indonesia - Malls help enforce non-smoking ban..;
Indonesia - federal anti-smoking laws in one year - MAYBE..;
Indonesia - NGO's (non-government organizations) Demand the Government Ratify WHO's FCTC.;
Indonesia to raise cigarette tax by 6 to 7% in 2009..;
Surabaya, Indonesia - anti-smoking bylaw 10/2009 - FOR REAL??
Indonesians smoking more than ever before..;
Indonesia further rise in the excise tax would hurt the cigarette industry..;
Alicia Keys - Jakarta Concert (July 31st) tobacco companies forced to withdraw sponsorship.. and
Most Indonesians support moves to ban tobacco advertisements..

Read more...

European Union - commission wants no exceptions to smoking bans..

October 13, 2010 - The European Commission is preparing to introduce legislation in 2011 to ban smoking in public places right across the union. (The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union.)

While partial or total smoking bans have been introduced in many European countries ending patrons' ability to smoke in bars, cafes and other public venues, it is still relatively easy in some states to find a bolt-hole where smokers are welcome, whether due to exceptions to such laws or owners flouting the bans.


Health commissioner John Dalli (responsible for Health and Consumer Policy) has said he wants to put a stop to this.

"We need a complete ban on smoking in all public spaces, transport and the workplace," he said in an interview on Monday (11 October) with German daily Die Welt.

Directly related news brief: European Commission launches public consultation on revision of the tobacco products Directive...

Announcing that Brussels is currently preparing a bill to be brought forward next year, he said that exceptions should no longer be tolerated, as the matter "is not only about the health of visitors, but also the employees."

In Belgium for example, home to the EU executive, patrons can still light up in cafes so long as the establishment does not serve food, while the Greek health minister last Wednesday admitted the effective failure of its 2009 smoking ban, saying that undercover inspections revealed that eight out of 10 bars openly flouted the law.

The EU bill may also attempt to reduce the amount of nicotine and other toxic substances contained in the product.

The commission will furthermore try to win agreement on rules making tobacco products no longer visible to customers and make packaging as unattractive as possible. The packets are to be made identical in appearance and to bear colourful warning pictures, such as of diseased lungs, as well as more information on the toxins the product contains.

"The more uniform and bland packaging the cigarettes are, the better," said the commissioner.

The addiction kills some 650,000 Europeans every year.

Reference: Commission preparing pan-European smoking ban, LEIGH PHILLIPS, EUobserver.com, 10/12/2010.

Read more...

Turkey - like other tobacco growing countries worried that WHO will eliminate blended tobacco..

Coat-of-Arms..
According to a recent press release by the Aegean Tobacco Exporters’ Union, the World Health Organization (WHO) is taking action against the use of blended tobacco in cigarettes because of the additives in these products, in line with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Within the frame work of the provisioned regulation, oriental tobacco blends may be totally banned as the organization aims to stop “input material” in cigarette production. If the regulation is approved in November, Turkish tobacco exporters will be facing a serious threat. Turkey is the chief cultivator and exporter of the type of tobacco known as oriental tobacco, according to the statement.

Turkey’s tobacco production constitutes 4 percent of global production of 7 million tonnes, placing Turkey fifth after China, India, United States of America and Brazil. The world cigarette market is in general based on blended cigarettes, which include a certain amount of oriental-type tobacco. About 65 percent of oriental tobacco is produced in Turkey, 25 percent in Greece and 10 percent in Bulgaria and the former Yugoslavia. Production of Virginia and Burley tobacco amounts to little more than 3 percent (8 000 tonne) of total tobacco production in Turkey.

Turkey Tobacco production, Turkey Tobacco production, NOT current.

It is felt that tobacco growers and workers should be involved at every stage of policy development and implementation. WHO’s decision to present final guidelines for adoption by the 171 member countries of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) at a meeting to take place in Uruguay in November 2010.

The guidelines for FCTC articles 9 and 10, would ban the use of ingredients other than tobacco in cigarette production. These ingredients are necessary in the manufacture of blended tobacco products, composed primarily of Burley and Oriental tobacco, which account for more than half the cigarettes smoked in the world, outside China. Without them, farmers of Burley and Oriental would see demand for their crops disappear. The recommendations for articles 17 and 18 are meant to provide viable crop alternatives to tobacco growing, but fail to present economically feasible options for tobacco farmers. The proposal risks decimating growers’ livelihoods, condemning millions to a life of poverty and crippling the economies of many developing countries - the very same countries the WHO is funded to help.

Reference: WHO decision will kill tobacco farming in eastern Turkey, NURDAN BOZKURT, HurriyetDailyNews.com, 10/10/2010.

Some related news briefs:
African COMESA countries against WHO's attempt to ban ingredients used in blended tobacco..;
WHO FCTC - developing countries need alternative to tobacco growing plus stoppage of cigarette smuggling..;
Europe - tobacco growers are worried but no change until an alternative is found..;
Asian Tobacco Farmers worried Article 9 & 10 WHO FCTC..;
U.S. Burley tobacco growers - WHO FCTC articles elimination of American-style cigarettes..;
Thailand govt - wants to ban the growing of Burley and Oriental tobacco..;
Canada - bill to ban flavored tobacco products gets final approval - Burley Tobacco...
Read more...